Russell gives Halo the thumbs up

While the majority of the media attention yesterday was on Robert Kubica, at MercedesGeorge Russell was running the latest iteration of the Halo device scheduled to be introduced next season.

In the wake of the reaction from fans and some drivers since the FIA announced it was opting for the Halo over the Shield (and Aeroscreen), the sport's governing body has been looking at ways the device might be made more aesthetically acceptable without compromising its effectiveness.

Speaking at the end of the day, Russell said he was impressed.

"I had a much better view than I expected," he said. "When the sun was coming down at the end of the day, it blocked the sun from my eyes. So I actually saw more than I would usually see when the sun is low.

"From a driver's perspective, the visibility is completely fine," he continued. "The only hindrance could potentially be seeing the start lights. Getting in and out of the car with the Halo takes a bit of experience. I struggled initially, but after a few trial runs I was fine."

It is understood that the teams will be allowed to run their versions of the device in the Friday practice sessions at some of the remaining races, while the definitive version should appear in the post-Abu Dhabi GP test.